Wheel chock system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545216-B2
Application number	US-202218076570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2022
Priority date	Mar 28, 2022
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A wheel chock system. In one aspect of the invention, an actuator is configured to move a pair of wheel chocks to an activated position in which motion of the wheel is prevented. A control unit controls the actuator and, based upon determination that a plurality of predefined conditions are met, the control unit may after having received an operator-initiated activation request, cause the actuator to move the wheel chocks from the inactivated position to the activated position. In another aspect of the invention, the actuator comprises a bi-directional motor and a gear mechanism, for moving the wheel chocks to the activated position. The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a wheel chock system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A wheel chock system, comprising:
a pair of wheel chocks for preventing motion of a wheel of a vehicle, an actuator configured to move the pair of wheel chocks from an inactivated position in which the wheel chocks do not prevent wheel motion, to an activated position in which one of the pair of wheel chocks prevents forward motion of the wheel and the other one of the pair of wheel chocks prevents rearward motion of the same wheel, and a control unit for controlling the actuator, wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive an operator-initiated activation request when the pair of wheel chocks is in the inactivated position,
determine that a plurality of predefined conditions are met, the plurality of predefined conditions comprising that a brake has been engaged and that the propulsion power for driving a drive shaft or wheels of the vehicle has been turned off, and
upon determination that the plurality of predefined conditions are met and the operator-initiated activation request has been received, cause the actuator to move the wheel chocks from the inactivated position to the activated position.

2 . The wheel chock system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of predefined conditions comprise:
that the vehicle speed is zero, and that the brake has been engaged.

3 . The wheel chock system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive input signals indicative of whether or not the predefined conditions are being met, receive a request signal representing the operator-initiated activation request, and based on the received input signals and the request signal, send an actuator signal to the actuator to cause the actuator to move the wheel chocks from the inactivated position to the activated position.

4 . The wheel chock system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive an operator-initiated inactivation request when the pair of wheel chocks is in the activated position, and upon receipt of the operator-initiated inactivation request, cause the actuator to move the wheel chocks from the activated position to the inactivated position.

5 . A wheel chock system, comprising:
a pair of wheel chocks for preventing motion of a wheel of a vehicle, an actuator configured to move the pair of wheel chocks from an inactivated position in which the wheel chocks do not prevent wheel motion, to an activated position in which one of the pair of wheel chocks prevents forward motion of the wheel and the other one of the pair of wheel chocks prevents rearward motion of the same wheel, and a control unit for controlling the actuator, wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive an operator-initiated activation request when the pair of wheel chocks is in the inactivated position,
determine that a plurality of predefined conditions are met, and
upon determination that the plurality of predefined conditions are met and the operator-initiated activation request has been received, cause the actuator to move the wheel chocks from the inactivated position to the activated position,
wherein the actuator comprises a bi-directional motor and a gear mechanism, wherein the bi-directional motor is configured to, via the gear mechanism, simultaneously:
move one of the pair of wheel chocks to the activated position, at a front side of a tyre carried by the wheel at a tyre-ground interface, and
move the other one of the pair of wheel chocks to the activated position, at a rear side of the tyre at the tyre-ground interface,
wherein the gear mechanism comprises a pair of strips having teeth, wherein each wheel chock of the pair of wheel chocks is connected to a respective one of the pair of strips, and wherein movement from the inactivated position to the activated position is caused by the motor setting the gear mechanism in motion such that one strip of the pair of strips is moved along a curved path following the circumference of the front side of the tyre while the other strip of the pair of strips is moved along a curved path following the circumference of the rear side of the tyre.

6 . The wheel chock system of claim 5 , wherein the wheel chocks are connected to end portions of the respective strips.

7 . The wheel chock system of claim 5 , wherein the gear mechanism further comprises a worm wheel and a worm shaft,
wherein the bi-directional motor is configured to rotate the worm wheel which in turn rotates the worm shaft, and wherein the worm shaft moves vertically when being rotated by the worm wheel, the vertical motion of the worm shaft being transferred to the pair of strips.

8 . The wheel chock system of claim 7 , further comprising a nut in threaded engagement with the worm shaft,
wherein the nut is configured to be fixedly attached to a chassis of the vehicle, and wherein when the worm shaft rotates relative to the nut, the worm shaft moves vertically relative to the nut.

9 . The wheel chock system of claim 7 , wherein the gear mechanism further comprises a strip-engaging gear part which is fixedly connected to the worm shaft or which forms part of the worm shaft,
wherein the strip-engaging gear part follows the rotating and vertical movements of the shaft, wherein the strip-engaging gear part is engaged with the teeth of each strip, and wherein when the strip-engaging gear part rotates, the strips are fed along the respective ones of the curved paths.

10 . The wheel chock system of claim 9 , further comprising a bearing providing support to the pair of strips and to the strip-engaging gear part, wherein the bearing follows the vertical movements of the strip-engaging gear part.

11 . The wheel chock system of claim 5 , further comprising a casing for housing the pair of strips in the inactivated position of the pair of wheel chocks and/or for guiding the pair of strips along the curved paths.

12 . A wheel chock system, comprising:
a pair of wheel chocks for preventing motion of a wheel of a vehicle, and an actuator configured to move the pair of wheel chocks from an inactivated position in which the wheel chocks do not prevent wheel motion, to an activated position in which one of the pair of wheel chocks prevents forward motion of the wheel and the other one of the pair of wheel chocks prevents rearward motion of the same wheel, wherein the actuator comprises a bi-directional motor and a gear mechanism, wherein the bi-directional motor is configured to, via the gear mechanism, simultaneously:
move one of the pair of wheel chocks to the activated position, at a front side of a tyre carried by the wheel at a tyre-ground interface, and
move the other one of the pair of wheel chocks to the activated position, at a rear side of the tyre at the tyre-ground interface,
wherein the gear mechanism comprises a pair of strips having teeth,
wherein each wheel chock of the pair of wheel chocks is connected to a respective one of the pair of strips, and
wherein movement from the inactivated position to the activated position is caused by the motor setting the gear mechanism in motion such that one strip of the pair of strips is moved along a curved path following the circumference of the front side of the tyre while the other strip of the pair of strips is moved along a curved path following the circumference of the rear side of the tyre.

13 . The wheel chock system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a control unit for controlling the actuator, wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive an operator-initiated activation request when the pair of wheel chocks is in the inactivated position, and
determine that a plurality

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Nalawade Dinkar
• Krishna Satheesha

Classifications

• B60T2250/04

  Vehicle reference speed; Vehicle body speed · CPC title

• B60T2250/00

  Monitoring, detecting, estimating vehicle conditions · CPC title

• B60T2220/04

  Pedal travel sensor, stroke sensor; Sensing brake request · CPC title

• B60T2210/20

  Road shapes · CPC title

• B60T13/746

  and mechanical transmission of the braking action · CPC title